


Fire and Smoke

by LazarusII



Series: Star Wars One-Shots (Basically a Collection of Obi-Wan & Ahsoka Fics ) [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Obi-Wan Kenobi, Clone Wars, Early Clone Wars, Felucia (Star Wars), Gen, Grand Master & Grand Padawan Bonding, Obi-Wan Kenobi Whump, Obi-Wan Needs a Break, Young Ahsoka Tano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 16:54:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazarusII/pseuds/LazarusII
Summary: When a newly-apprenticed Ahsoka Tano gets overconfident, Obi-Wan comes to the rescue... In his usual, self-sacrificial way.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Series: Star Wars One-Shots (Basically a Collection of Obi-Wan & Ahsoka Fics ) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703224
Comments: 18
Kudos: 337





	Fire and Smoke

**Author's Note:**

> Had to use [wiki](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Form_V/Legends) for info on Ahsoka's lightsaber form. 
> 
> This work was a lot of fun, just randomly opened my laptop and was like "hmm, how far can I get today?" Here is the result of today's challenge! It has not been beta-read, so please be kind to me! I know my grammar can get a bit comma-crazy, but I do my best.  
> (If anyone is interested, the work was written while listening to my [Sad/Intense Writing Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4nD2Vp23XHhC0sT6kUOTWJ?si=89_Uvt0JRFuSLF7k5Ffd-g).)
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

The Felucian sky was dark with smoke and dust. The colorful plant life which had once stood high off the ground now smoldered against the reddish-brown soil, waiting to be roughly shoved aside to make way for the heavy weaponry. 

Both forces were locked in combat in the narrow pathway, surrounded by Felucia’s equivalent of a climax forest. It was one of the most truly difficult battlefields to navigate--and that wasn’t even mentioning the drastic changes in elevation. 

Hand raised to his nose and mouth, Obi-Wan waded across the battlefield, cleaving through the droids before him. The stench of burning foliage was ripe in the air and his eyes burned. Behind him, Cody advanced, his helmet protecting him from the elements, returning fire. 

There were hundreds of B1s, marching in unison, weapons releasing flashes of blasterfire. And behind them, a line of SBDs, their tall, rounded silhouettes just barely visible. 

The Separatist army had been moving for some time, an unstoppable force even in the thick forest. 

Even as Obi-Wan watched, a distant flame-class battle droid raised its arms and released a stream of fire from a long barrel attached to its arm. The hiss of the fuel catching light could only be matched by the roar of the forest as it caught light. As soon as the fire touched the ground, the wind caught it and brought it directly to Obi-Wan's unit.

Tactically, things were not looking too good. But, in truth, the ground forces were only there to stall the Separatists. Behind Republic lines, there was a city full of innocent civilians. Those people needed time to evacuate. 

He and Ahsoka were the only ones standing between the Separatist advancement and the deaths of thousands. 

Every now and then, the loud whistle of artillery emanated from somewhere overhead as both gunships and fighters fought for control of the skies. Somewhere up there, Anakin was in combat, lighting up the Force as he relished in the thrill of combat. 

If they could win in the air, then the battle on the ground would be over in minutes. But until then… 

Squinting his eyes, feeling tears burning down his cheeks, Obi-Wan forced himself forward. It was painful and hard to breathe, his lungs already tightening from exposure. He would stand at the head of the line and take the suffering if it meant that his men could stay safe behind him… 

They had to make do with their situation here, there was no other way. 

Off to Obi-Wan’s right, however, lay his chief source of concern. 

She was so young, a child thrown into a warzone. Obi-Wan could distantly see the young Togruta standing between the trees, moving forward slowly, shoulder-to-shoulder with Rex. Her green lightsaber was a blur in the air as she batted blaster bolts out of the air, the weapon clutched in a classic, reverse Shien grip. 

Her unit was in the middle of the forest, near the banks of a shallow river. They had the advantage there, being upwind. The smoke wouldn’t reach her there… 

He ducked, quickly blocking a wave of enemy fire. A shot grazed him on the shoulder, sparking against his armor. 

_Blast it._

Expanding his presence, he reached out and grasped a group of nearby B1s with the Force. The droids flew through the air--almost comically--before colliding with the line behind them. 

The amount of enemy fire decreased. Behind him, Obi-Wan felt Cody’s unspoken approval. 

Momentarily allowing his attention to move back to Anakin’s newly-appointed apprentice, Obi-Wan watched her duck and weave. She was being careful not to expose Rex to enemy fire, which was good… But she was still telegraphing her motions, expending far more energy than necessary. 

They’d already been in position for some time, which meant that she would soon grow tired. 

A blaster bolt whizzed close to Rex’s shoulder and Obi-Wan heard her distantly yell an apology. 

At that moment, Ahsoka seemed to sense him watching.

A soft jolt of panic raced through the Force and he saw her posture straighten. Her lightsaber form also became much cleaner, falling into what he’d call a clean display of basic Form V. 

A smile played at Obi-Wan’s lips. Oh, did he certainly remember the feeling--the need to impress. There was nothing wrong with it, but he himself still felt like a Padawan--far from the Jedi Master which he’d become. And to be treated with that kind of respect, to be looked up to… 

Well, he had a feeling that he’d _never_ grow used to it. 

When it came to Ahsoka, he’d made an effort to try and make her seem more welcome. He’d hoped that she would come to regard him as just another Jedi like herself. But he had yet to succeed. 

Every time he spoke to her, she had this wide-eyed look of--well it wasn’t _fear_ exactly… 

A nearby tree crashed down and he felt a wave of heat bathe over his exposed skin. Wincing he spied another special B1 unit, a wavering image through the flames as it fed into the chaos. 

The Force whispered ominously. 

“Cody,” he yelled over the roar, “tell your men to retreat.”

“Yes Sir.” 

Sinking himself into the Force, Obi-Wan allowed himself to see the battlefield. His body moved on instinct, his movements graceful as his consciousness expanded outwards. 

Cody was relaying his orders, the man’s shouts muted. 

Shadows moved around them, without mind or soul. Behind him were the specks of light, the Clones huddled about behind trees--and the AT-TE retreating behind their lines. The thrum of its fire filling the air seemed distant.

Nearby, he sensed Ahsoka, her presence lighting the Force much like her Master, who still roved the skies. With her, he could feel Rex and the other men…

The Force lurched--a warning. 

Shadows were moving around them, to his right, in front of his line, and moving to form a circle--

His eyes flew open. 

_No._

“Cody, fall back, I’ll meet you back at the city outskirts.” He saw the Clone Commander nod, his white and orange helmet dipping in acknowledgement. “I’ll cover you.” 

The seconds of waiting were agony as he ran forwards, deeper into the ever-expanding cloud of smoke. 

He had to give Cody time… 

Obi-Wan’s arm strained as he carved through another line of droids, pain spreading across his wrist and up his arm from where he’d collided with a droid earlier that day. He grimaced as it began to become more and more of a hindrance to his progress. 

Without missing a beat, he passed his lightsaber to his left hand, rotating it smoothly into his palm. He activated his comms in the transition. 

Right hand coming up to his eye level, Obi-Wan almost yelled into the mic. 

“Ahsoka--Ahsoka, come in--you’ve got a line of special units coming in up on your left flank. You need to get out of there now!”

His comm crackled, _“but Master,I’m almost through their line. I can reach them--”_

“Ahsoka, listen to me, you’re going to be surrounded,” he was positively yelling into the comlink, his voice raw from the smoke. 

The Force was screaming. 

Throwing caution to the winds, Obi-Wan threw himself into the air, wrapping the Force around his body. He cleared the treetops, bursting out of the smoke before plunging back into the forest. Alighting on one of the larger, exotic trees, he saw smoke already unfurling around Ahsoka’s forces. 

His stomach dropped.

As he had suspected, they had advanced much farther than he and Cody had managed to and covered even more ground after he’d ordered the retreat. 

The young apprentice and her troops were hopelessly surrounded. Even as he watched, the flames rose higher into the sky, racing across the thick undergrowth. 

Obi-Wan was about to run to their aid when a low roar drew his attention. 

Off in the distance, something large was moving through the trees. Even from where he stood, Obi-Wan could hear the cracking sound of foliage being trampled by whatever was plowing through them. He guessed it was the droids’ reinforcements. 

Heart thundering in his chest, he turned for his Grandpadawan’s position. 

||

He approached their location from behind. 

A line of flame B1s had managed to flank them, creating a wall of fire nearly ten meters thick between themselves and the trapped Clones. Already several squads of standard droids had set up post behind the orange-marked compatriots and opened fire; their laser fire danced between the smoke and flames.

Death echoed through the Force as several Clones were caught by enemy blaster bolts. Obi-Wan felt another trooper lose his life even as he approached. 

Ahsoka was in there and fighting for her life.

He could feel her attempts to push back the flames through the Force. But her efforts were growing weaker. 

She would die soon if he didn’t act--

 _“Master--I’m surrounded, I need help--”_ Her voice echoed from his comm, filled with fear, followed by a burst of static. 

Obi-Wan’s mind immediately leapt to a moment right before he and Anakin had parted ways. It had been a conversation they’d had in the _Negotiator_ ’s hangar bay… 

Anakin had made him promise to protect Ahsoka, to keep an eye on her. 

Feeling a thread of anger take root in the pit of his stomach, Obi-Wan mustered the Force about himself and hurled a line of droids into the fire. Their circuitry sparked and overloaded with the heat. 

He was _not_ about to break that promise. He owed it to Anakin--and to the young girl who had an entire life yet to live. 

Reaching to the nearest flame droid, Obi-Wan whipped it to the side, sending it crashing through another wave of droids. Closing his fist, the droids collapsed inwards, metal crumpling in a shower of sparks. 

Her panic was clear in the Force now, forming a haunting chorus with the death and destruction around her. Her men were dying quickly as the droids closed in. 

_“Ahsoka, I need you to listen to me. I’m clearing a path for you and your men to get out. On my mark, retreat straight back--towards the city.”_ He said the words directly into the Force, as loud as he could, channeling his consciousness towards the frightened apprentice. 

Ahsoka’s presence flared briefly in acknowledgement. He could feel her attempting to pull herself together, to push away fear. 

Obi-Wan knew she could do it. 

Around him, the situation was deteriorating. While the droids had been dealt with for the moment, the fire was spreading, growing larger and faster than he’d anticipated. 

Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt. 

Ahsoka was running out of time-- _fast_ \--and she still had no way out.

Plunging himself into the Force, he reached out to the Flames, coaxing them back. The air was at his fingertips, malleable at the smallest level. And to move it… 

He dove deeper, brow furrowing as he channeled his focus into becoming one with the natural world. Slowly, he reached farther, down to its most basic level, to the soft thrum of the forest life around him. 

This was the living Force. Qui-Gon had taught him so long ago of the power in life. It was in everything--the small voices which supported the world. 

And while he was not the most in tune with this side of the Force, he had not separated himself from its touch. 

Breathing slow, Obi-Wan felt the smoke hit his lungs, scorching against his skin, throat, and nose. 

But that didn’t matter. 

He closed his eyes. 

The flames rushed towards him, slowly beginning to part, he could feel its heat against his palms, sending waves of pain down his arms. Obi-Wan shook with effort, his head pounding. A fog was beginning to spread from the farthest corner of his mind, expanding. 

Distantly, he could sense a metallic finger pressing against the trigger of its weapon, and the resulting discharge… 

He could feel the path form as he coaxed the blazing foliage to part. Burning logs and branches shifted. 

The cries of soldiers reached his ears as well as the sound of their hurried footsteps. Someone was coughing--Ahsoka--her body struggling to carry her back to safety. He felt her exhaustion overwhelm her and panic rise from the nearby soldiers. 

Something slammed into Obi-Wan’s side from behind him. It was hot, unbearably so, and his right leg collapsed. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth as he fell to one knee. 

Sweat and grime burned into his eyes along with the terrible heat. His grip on the fire wavered, and he desperately threw everything he could into holding the flames at bay--for the sake of the blurry figures still scrambling towards freedom. 

His hands curled spasming as his body threatened to shut down. 

Someone was approaching, hazy in the smoke, Ahsoka. He couldn’t see her… But her presence was there in the Force… 

Shouts and blaster fire came from behind him.

From up ahead, a low rumble filled the air. 

The ground shook, dirt and fragmented wood flying in all directions. Obi-Wan winced as something hit him in the side of the head. 

There were still more figures coming… one more--

Another red-hot flame bit into his body, this time in his left shoulder. Grunting, Obi-Wan jerked back to the present. The fire converged, a great wave of pure death and destruction surging forward. 

The ground was rushing towards him. He tried to guide his fall, but he found his body had gone numb. 

Obi-Wan landed hard on his left side. The blaster wound in his shoulder sent a wave of searing pain through every nerve in his body. 

Fog overtook his mind. 

Orange and red flames danced in front of his eyes. He watched them dance dazedly. 

Someone was in front of him, he could see the outline of their head and shoulders. A trooper? 

Hands were coming towards him… Moving his arm… His legs… 

His blood was boiling. 

Then a sensation not unlike that of a cord snapping suddenly burst behind his eyes as the ground fell away--he was being lifted… 

And Obi-Wan finally felt his eyes close as the Force exploded above him. 

_"Obi-Wan!"_

_"Obi-Wan, are you alright?"_

Anakin was calling, yelling through the Force for him to wake up. 

But he was too tired to respond… 

Too tired… 

He filed a mental note to remind his former-Padawan to control his emotions. He was going to be fine… 

He just needed a nap, that was all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You can find me on Tumblr [here](https://lazarusii.tumblr.com/)  
> All comments, corrections, kudos, etc. greatly appreciated :) 
> 
> There is a very high chance that I will do a sort-of sequel work for this one down the road. It would be in a one-shot format, like this one. 
> 
> Thank you again and may the Force be with you!


End file.
